Beet topper



E. B. MCCAIN.

BEET TOPPER.

APPLICATION FILED NOV. 4. 1920.

1,412,69@ Patented Apr. u, w22,

@mento/r,

EB, McCain llO NETE@ STATES Enviar B. Mcciinv, on :ii-nnsnnv, NEBRASKA.

BEET TOPPER.

Specific-ation of Letters Patent. Pgrtgfgmtgd Apg, 1li, 1922.

i Application filed November 4,1920. Serial No. 21,7201

of Nebraska, have invented certain new andV useful improvements in Beet Toppers, of which the following is aA specification.

This invention has for its object the provision of a simple, inexpensive and ei'iicient device for splitting and cutting Jthe tops of beets prior to the lifting of the beets from the ground and seeks to provide such a device which may be easily adjusted to permit the beets to be` cut at a desired point s below their extreme upper ends and also to provide such a device which will be yieldably mounted so that it may automatically accommodate itself to the heights of different beets above the ground surface.

T he invention is illustrated in the accompanying drawing, in which- Figure 1 is a perspective view of a beet topper constructed in accordance with my invention;

Fig. 2 is a horizontal section on the line Qf-2 of Fig. 1.

ln carrying out my invention, l employ a blade 1 which is adapted to run longitudinally of a row of plants and has its front portion upturned, as shown at 2, whereey it will ride over the tops of the beets in the manner of a sleigh runner and will engage the beet tops gradually and thereby 'avoid suchA excessive laceration of the beets as would destroy their value.

3 is formed integral with or intimately con-v A standard nected to the longitudinally disposed knife runner 1 intermediate the ends thereof and this standard is adapted to be secured to a cultivator, a beet harvester, or any other convenient or preferred machine. The standard is mounted in a bracket t and is movable freely through the saine but is prevented from dropping out of the bracket by a pin or other stop 5 inserted transversely through the standard above the lower arm of the bracket, as clearly shown in Fig. 1. The bracket may conveniently be a length of bar iron having its ends bent at right angles to its main portion and provided with angular openings therethrough to receive the standard and prevent relative rotary movement thereof while accommodatin the vertical movement of the saine. A spring 6 is coiled around the standard between Vthe upper of the saine and the stop so as to yieldably hold the blade l to its work. The blade will thus be permitted to ride over stones or other unyielding obstacles while it will be held to the beets and willr split the tops of the same as is obvious. The standard is provided with a plurality of -openings 7 through any one of which the pin 5 may be inserted and obviously ay plurality of springs 6 may be provided and used interchangeably so that, in any particular instance, the strength of the apparatus will be proportioned to the size of the beets or other circumstances which determine the needed strength of the working members. The forward vertical midportion of the bracket l is provided with a plurality of openings through which fastening bolts 8 are' inserted, the said bolts passing through and above and below a beam 9 to secure the device to the beam when nuts 10 on the ends of the bolt are turned home against a clamping plate 11 in an obvious manner.

Upon the sides of the runner blade 1, l provide gage bars 12 which are upturned at their front ends to follow the longitudinal contour of the blade and these gage bars bear upon the tops of the beets and thereby regulate the depth to which they are split by the blade. To adjust the said gage bars as may be needed in any particular instance, l provide a plurality of transverse openings 13 through the blade and the gage bars are secured in position by bolts 14 inserted through the bars and the proper openings, as shown and as will. be readily understood. The rear end of the runner blade is enlarged vertically, as shown at 15, and this vertical enlargement may be provided with openings 16 to permit the attachment of braces or stop chains or cables which will limit the downward movement of the rear end of the runner relative to the cultivator or other machine to which` it is attached so that the rear end of the blade cannot dig into the ground and mash or gouge the beets. The lower edge of this vertical enlargement is cut-away 0r arched, as indicated at 17, and the ends of this arched portion are bridged by a horizontally disposed blade 18 which is formed integral with or rigidly attached to the end of the runner. This blade is preferably triangular in outline with itsy side edges divergng rearwardly and its side llt) edges are the cutting edges. It is thought to be obvious that this horizontal blade will follow immediately behind the runner blade and will remove the tops or thebeets at both sides of 'the split produced therein by thev forward blade.

lt will be readily noted that liave provided an exceedingly simple and inexpensive device which may be readily drawn .over the be therefore expedited. The device is ver a a l y.

light and may be readily coupled to any convenient or preferred vehicle. f Y Having thus described the invention, what is' claimed as new is: l. A `beet topper comprising a supporting 1 bracket yhaving upper and lower rearwardly extend-ing arms, a standard mounted in said arms for free vertical movement and restrained against` horizontal V movement, a

blade carried by the lower end of said standard, a stop on said standard between 'the arms of `the bracket, and a spring coiled bar is parallel with the cutting edge ofthe blade throughout itsy length. Y Y

3.,'A'beet topper comprising a vertically disposed blade adapted to run upon the ground, and stop bars extending, longitudi-V nally of saidblade close against the sides of the same and vertically adjustable thereon, said stop bars being approximately eoterminous with the blade and having their under 'sides parallel with the cutting edge of the blade throughout their length.

In testimony whereof I aiiix my signature. i

,ELVIN B. MOC/AlN. [La] 

